Centre moves SC to modify its order on U’khand

The Centre on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking modification of its order on the issue of floor test in the Uttarakhand Assembly, saying the official concerned has refused to act as observer on the ground that a clarification is needed on his designation.

Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the matter before a bench comprising justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh while submitting that its May 6 order had mentioned the designation of the official as principal secretary(Legislative Assembly) which needs to be corrected to principal secretary (Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs).

The AG told the bench that the official concerned, who is of the rank of district judge, has written to the Centre that he would not act as observer unless a clarification comes from the apex court.

Senior advocates Abhishek Manusinghvi and Kapil Sibal, appearing for sacked chief minister Harish Rawat, opposed the plea of the Centre on the ground that the principal secretary (Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs) is a non-cadre post and no outsider can be allowed to participate in the proceedings of the House.

Sibal said that the post of principal secretary (Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs) comes under the state government.